Have Fun on the Weekends Without Wrecking Your Eyes

It’s the weekend. And you have plans: a garden cleanup, a few hours on a woodworking project. Then, maybe some tennis.

When you get ready to organize what you’ll need for the day, the last thing you’re probably thinking of is eye safety. Yet something as simple as a wood splinter from a power saw or a tennis ball gone awry could have a devastating effect on your eye health.

According to Prevent Blindness America, hospital emergency rooms treat more than 40,000 sports-related eye injuries every year.

Children in particular are at risk. The National Eye Institute reports that eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children. Most eye injuries among kids age 11 to 14 take place while playing sports.

“So many of these injuries could be prevented just by wearing proper eye protection,” says Dr. Bill Simons of Montana Eyecare. “There are a variety of protective lenses that ensure eye safety, whether you’re playing a contact sport like basketball or tennis or working on a hobby that requires close-up work.”

Besides safety, wearing proper eye gear can also enhance an athlete’s performance. “At one time, people who had moderate prescription lenses would just go without wearing their glasses or contacts when playing sports,” says Dr. Simons. “Now players and coaches realize that visual clarity is important. Sport-specific eye wear can really boost achievement.”

Here’s what to look for in protective eye wear:

1. If playing a sport, insist on Trivex lenses. Regular prescription glasses can shatter. Trivex lenses are impact-resistant and help protect the eyes from fast-moving objects. Sports frames can accommodate both prescription and non-prescription lenses. Most come with rubber padding to cushion the frame where it comes in contact with the head or nose.

2. Swim goggles can be prescription, too. If you’re a swimmer and normally wear prescription glasses, think seriously about investing in prescription goggles. Water magnifies objects and light bends differently in water. Your prescription can be altered specifically for vision underwater.

3. Trivex lenses make hobbies safer. Trivex safety glasses should always be worn when working with power or hand tools to protect your eyes from dust and debris. These glasses are also a smart choice when gardening or doing car repair. Many come with a wrap-around design and spring hinges to protect your eyes from all angles.

4. Use strong lenses to eliminate eyestrain for close-up work. For hobbies that require intense close-up work like needlepoint or crafting, consider investing in a second pair of reading glasses with stronger lenses than you’d normally use for reading. This can cut down on fatigue and eyestrain.

5. Gamers can protect their eyes, too. For computer gaming enthusiasts, consider BluTech Lenses to protect eyes from the high-energy, potentially damaging light emitted by the screen. BluTech Lenses, with or without a prescription, safeguard against exposure to high-energy light that can harm cells in the retina.